Hello New to large format - would love advice

C A Mendelsohn

C A Mendelsohn

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Hello there,
My name is Carolyn I am a portrait photographer and am embarking on the exciting large format journey.

I have been wanted to use large format for years but haven’t had the opportunity. I mainly use digital and medium format (film). I have recently been on a weekend large format workshop. We learnt a variety of view cameras. I loved it and am really excited to take this further learn more and I know I will make lots of mistakes .

I am looking to get a field camera, and was looking at Wista 45 DX and also liked the look and feel of the Super D Graflex. The issue for me is they appear to only be available in Japan and the US ( I search eBay every day ) . Has anyone brought from Japan or the US on eBay recently ? Are the customs charges prohibitive ?

I have noticed the speed Graphic, and that looks really interesting to me, and some available in the UK .

I would love any thoughts or advice.

Thank you so much.
Carolyn

ps you can see my work on Instagram on
https://www.instagram.com/carolynmendelsohn_/
 
Welcome, it's getting harder to find LF cameras at good prices here in the UK. Buying from abroad you need to take into account the Import Tax which is based on the Item cost/value and shipping, then VAT on top as well as the charge for collectiong the taxes, it adds about 33%.

I've largely stopped buying from abroad, if you watch Ebay acrefully as well as the Forums there can be bargains still. I've had my Wista 45DX since the late 1980's it's a great camera to use, I also use a Graflex Super Graphic I bought it for hand held work where tripods aren't permitted it's used instead of a Crown Graphic which has limited movements (as do Speeed Graphics). I will be selling the Crown Graphic but it's in Turkey at the moment.

Most LF cameras I've bought on Ebay or Forums have had slight issues, luckily I'm usually able to sort them out. You need to decide what you need from a camera in terms of movement.

Ian
 
Thanks Ian,

I will be watching like a hawk, and will bear in mind all the things you say.
Maybe I should just hold out for a Wista 45 DX and in the meantime borrow or hire one.
Best

Carolyn
 
Welcome to the forum. I also use a Wista DX and they are worth waiting for. There are other similar makes such as Shen Hao you may want to take a look at as well.
 
Thanks Bill, yes it is good to know alternatives. I am particularly keen on the Wista 45 DX for its portability - It looks great to use — and it is used by some amazing photographers I know ( unfortunately I live nowhere near them). And Ofcourse it looks a beauty too.
 
I should have welcomed you to the forum - sorry! Always happy to see someone from Yorkshire.

I'm having a clear out of surplus equipment - I had three 5x4 cameras I was going to sell on a week ago, now I'm down to two. Hence I can easily spare one on loan. If you did want to borrow a Tachihara (the nearest to a Wista) let me know. Oddly the other camera IS a Wista, but a metal one...
 
Welcome.
There's always the Intrepid to look at. Now in three different materials at three different prices.
People often ask what camera to buy and sometimes list all the features they think they'll need. A little experience will soon show what you actually use and need, so the general advice is to get almost anything (within reason, of course) and use it for a little while to clarify your ideas.
If you intend to make portraits, you might consider bellows extension. As I understand the matter, portrait photographers often prefer a longer lens, because it’s more flattering. In LF, a longer lens means more bellows extension, so you should consider if your chosen camera will give you what you want.
I have to add that I’m not a portrait photographer at all, so other members may have much better advice to offer.
 
Good point David, however while an 85mm to 100mm is often favoured for portarits with 35mm it doesn't really pan out in the same way with larger formats typically with 5x4 people favour a 180mm or more commonly a 210mm, maybe a 240mm, but by 300mm its impractical.

Part of the reason for this is because of the way most LF camera focus, an idealportrait camera would have rear standard focusing, some with a fixed front standard but best of both worlds can focus both standards. The problem with longer FL lenses is focussing closer with a front standard also alters the lens to subject distance making setting up slower.

If you look at British tailboard cameras and German Reisekameras & French equivalents they nearly all have a fixed front standard allowing some rise/fall and rear focssing allowing a small amount of tilt. US style cameras from Agfa Ansco, Kodak, Senneca etc also use a fixed front stnadard and rear focussin, ecept the top models with front focussing as well. These were used a lot for portraiture.
It's the same with LF field cameras the best have front and rear focussing.

My experience has been that up to a 210mm lens on a 5x4 camera only having front focussing isn't an issue, it become more finnicky focussing closer with a 240mm as you need quite a bit of extension for say a head and shoulders shot. One way photographer got around this was having a camera mounted on a studio snad on wheels, ore more latterly a tripod dolly but that only works in a studio or fla surfaces. With a Wista 45DX or similar double extension camera and a 300mm it's pushed to maximum bellows extension and fairly impractical, youd need something like a Linhof Technika, MPP MicroTeachnical, or similar triple extension Technical camera or a monorail to shoot with a 300mm.

Ian
 
Stephen Batey said:
I should have welcomed you to the forum - sorry! Always happy to see someone from Yorkshire.

I'm having a clear out of surplus equipment - I had three 5x4 cameras I was going to sell on a week ago, now I'm down to two. Hence I can easily spare one on loan. If you did want to borrow a Tachihara (the nearest to a Wista) let me know. Oddly the other camera IS a Wista, but a metal one...
Click to expand...

where about’s in Yorkshire are you from ? I live in Saltaire- if you don’t sell it and I don’t find one in the next few weeks I may well ask you if I can borrow it.
 
David M said:
Welcome.
There's always the Intrepid to look at. Now in three different materials at three different prices.
People often ask what camera to buy and sometimes list all the features they think they'll need. A little experience will soon show what you actually use and need, so the general advice is to get almost anything (within reason, of course) and use it for a little while to clarify your ideas.
If you intend to make portraits, you might consider bellows extension. As I understand the matter, portrait photographers often prefer a longer lens, because it’s more flattering. In LF, a longer lens means more bellows extension, so you should consider if your chosen camera will give you what you want.
I have to add that I’m not a portrait photographer at all, so other members may have much better advice to offer.
Click to expand...

Thanks David,
I think I am looking for a solid ( but light ) camera that I can take out and about - so through the Intrepid is a great thing , I think it may be a little too lightweight- possible flimsy for me. I do a lot of on location work .
But yes - I want something simple - I don’t want bells and whistles.
Carolyn
 
I'm now an ex-pat living in Sussex, but I'm from Crofton, about 3 miles south of Wakefield. Probably my nearest relative to you lives in Holmfirth.

The camera isn't likely to be sold soon, as the way things are going my normal birthday break in Yorkshire won't be happening again (Jan 15th) and I was planning to take it to WYC.

I have a black Intrepid and love the light weight if I want to travel light, but prefer either my Canham DLC or Walker Titan SF for the longer bellows. I do prefer 5x7 as a format proportion though...
 
Carolyn, unlike MF or 35mm/al DSLR, you have a greater choice of lenses. One that comes to mind is the Rodenstock Geronar, these were budget priced small and light weigth modern Multi Coated Cooke Triplets in design, very sharp at f22 but softer at the edges and corners as you open up and recommended as Portrait lenses by Podenstock. Sold as a 150,, f6.3 and 210mm f6.3

Schneider's budget lens was tbe 150mm f5.6 and 210mm f6.1 Xenar probably the best modern LF Tessar type designs manufactured, although the Kodak f6.3 Commercial Ektars (also Tessar type) are excellent but expensive, however Conogo/Osaka bought Kodaks tooling and designs and sold tehm as Conongo?Osaka Commercials.

A Tessar type design falls between a Cooke Triplet design and Modern Plasmat (Symmar S. Sironar, Nikkor etc) in terms of Edge and Corner sharpness as you open up.

Then you can go to extremes like my Petzval 8" (210mm) approx :D

1638561793337.png

Should after a bath it was optically as new . . . . . . . . It's also why Speed Graphics are so useful :)

Ian
 
I love those old lenses!
I was looking at a Speed Graphic too. But you know what I really don’t know very much at all. Well I know how to take photos and love learning new things , but the whole LF is an exciting journey .
 
Hi Carolyn, welcome to the form, I'm new here too although not LF photography. I'm getting back in to it after many years of absence. Just out of interest have you looked at the Horseman range of technical cameras, very robust and well made so are Toyo 45A cameras, I have used both along with their monorails. Some dealers that you might want to look at are Mr Cad, Teamwork, Linhof and Studio. Have looked at the prices though for some of these and now wish I had kept them.
 
Welcome Carolyn to the forum, I am glad you joined as you will get some great advice from very knowledgeable people here, one thing, don't post that picture you took of me the other weekend with the old Graphic 4x5, it will put all these guys to shame ;)
 
Go the easy route first, my Wista 45DX has been behind many exhibitions etc over the years, when you have confidence with LF then Speed Graphics and SLR's are fun.

I feel/felt like saying go Crown or Speed Graphic first but my experience was with a larger monorail first loads of mements, then the Wisat always does everything I need. I also know that the Crown Graphic have hampered me due to it's poor movements.. I have two Speed Graphics (long story) but Ijust keep them for specific uses both were basket cases when I got them, but easy to restore, but that isn't always the case.

Ian
 
Ian Grant said:
One that comes to mind is the Rodenstock Geronar ...
Ian
Click to expand...


I strongly endorse this. Here in the US, the Geronars were marketed by Calumet under their own brand as kit lenses for their rail view cameras.

I have a 210mm f/6.8 Caltar-II and it is tack sharp and contrasty some 30ish years after purchase. It is my first, and most frequently used 5x4 lens, followed by a Schneider 150mm f/5.6 APO Symmar - another joy to use.
 
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